Giving Back - Breaking down silos in disaster preparedness

It's fire season, which makes us give thanks for the amazing people who put their lives on the line to keep our forests and communities safe. It also reminds us about the importance of a coordinated community effort in responding to disaster. This is reflected in the "incident command" structure used by first responders to establish clear lines of authority and communication between police, fire, medical personnel and other responders who are called in to help with the disaster.

Coordination between volunteer agencies in times of disaster is often not as well coordinated as that of the professional responders, especially when there are many organizations involved. In recent years organizations in Mendocino County have learned important lessons about working together in response to major fires, smaller fires and draught related emergencies. That is why Tami Bartolomei, Office of Emergency Services Coordinator for the Mendocino County Sheriff, and Rebecca Enberg, Volunteer Network Manager at North Coast Opportunities, brought several of us together to learn about "Voluntary Organizations Assisting in Disasters" – or VOAD. Tom Conrad, President of Northern California VOAD, was there to explain the history and mission of the group.

VOAD is a national organization (active in every state) that was created in the aftermath of Hurricane Camille in 1969, an era in which FEMA did not exist. According to Tom, the hurricane response in South Carolina illustrated the problems and inefficiencies that exist when there is little coordination between the "helping" agencies. "There were two shelters right across the street from each other," he told us. "And neither was aware of what the other was doing."

There are 23 counties included in the Northern California VOAD. Although VOADs are typically found in urban areas, Tami sees a real benefit for having such a structure here. "We are so spread out and depend so much on voluntary help by individuals and organizations. It is important for the players to know each other and have talked about how they will work together. When the bell goes off, we need to know what to do."

The initial meeting of this group included representatives from the Red Cross, the County Office of Emergency services, North Coast Opportunities, Plowshares, and Mendocino County Amateur Radio Communication Service, as well as the Community Foundation. Tami also had a list of the other groups she hope would participate including churches (often the first place people go in disasters), schools, businesses and local government.

The Mendocino County VOAD will meet on a regular basis in various parts of the County. If you or your group would like to participate, please contact Rebecca Enberg at NCO (renberg@ncoinc.org) and she will put you on the mailing list.

The Community Foundation is committed to increasing the social capital of Mendocino County, as reflected in our ability to provide for the health and well-being of residents, respond effectively to natural disasters, and address community opportunities and challenges. For more information, visit www.communityfound.org .

Susanne Norgard is the executive director of The Community Foundation of Mendocino County, 204 South Oak Street, Ukiah CA 95482. She can be reached at 707-468-9882.